Stone Speech
by Dreamflight4798
Summary: Queen Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee of Bayern has recieved a surprising piece of news: there is another country across the Great Sea called Danland, and they have invited some of Bayern's people to come stay and learn about their new neighbors. Since Bayern is in a state of peace, Ani and a chosen group of friends venture into the unknown.
1. News of a Voyage

**I LOVE CROSSOVERS LIKE THIS!**

**Sorry for the outburst, but I wanted to express my feelings on this subject.**

**Okay, so anybody who reads my other stories know I am nefarious about commenting before and after my stories for long periods of time. Here, I'm going to try to contain that so it's not as distracting.**

**Just note one more thing before I begin: I only own the plot, and OC's.**

**Enjoy!**

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Ani sat in her bedchambers, reading over two reports brought to her by a page. The first was simply a mention that one of Bayern's ships had run across a different, uncharted country. The second was a short letter from the King of that country. It read:

_Dear Royals of Bayern,_

_As I understand it, neither of our lands have ever encountered one another. This shall never do. I humbly ask that Bayern send a small group of your countrymen to Danland over the Great Sea that we may share our cultures and knowledge._

_Hoping to be hearing from you shortly,_

_His Highness, King of Danland_

Ani had already looked the letter over half a dozen times, and had thoroughly discussed the invitation with Gedric, her husband and King of Bayern. Both had acknowledged that it would be extremely rude to turn the foreign king down, but the concern was that the Danlanders might just try and imprison their newfound "friends". Ani hd stubbornly insisted that she go to Danland, but Gedric was fiercely protective of her, and had initially refused. In the end, however, he had to give in to his wife's powerful argument.

It was decided that Ani would be protected by a small force of her choosing. The choice hadn't been difficult; Ani had instantly chosen a group of five people: Enna, Dashta, Razo, Talone, and Rin. She could trust each of them with her life, and that, in the event of attempted capture or imprisonment, Enna alone could keep an army away with her fire speech.

Gedric had wanted to come, but Ani refused to leave Bayern without both of their beloved royalty, or to leave her young son without at least one parent.

Their plan was to leave the following day on horseback until they reached the coast and board a waiting ship. A letter announcing the journey had been sent forth two days prior ro the departure.

Ani laid down the sheafs of paper and stretched. The wind whispered and brought with it images as it spoke to her.

_Still night. Geese sleep. Water runs. Fire Enna comes down the stone hall..._

Ani opened her chamber doors to see her good friend Enna walking through the hall. She didn't seem surprised that Ani knew she was coming; both knew how to speak to te wind, and how it spoke back.

"Can't sleep, Isi?" Enna asked, using the name Ani had used to disguise that she had truly been Anidori -Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Princess of Kildernree. Ani had taken the name her Grandmother-Isilee-had used among friends to become a Goose Girl.

"No," Ani replied. "I keep thinking of tomorrow. It reminds me of when I came to Bayern. The only differences are that we did not know of Danland at all, I will have a trusted escort, we will go to Danland on boat, and Falada isn't going to be with me."

"Completely different then," Enna said smartly. Ani had to smile.


	2. Little Mountain Flower

_**Miri**_

Miri listened to Frid and Marda go off to the quarry, singing, _I hear a work song say winter is long_. Miri used to be bitter about not be a quarry-worker, but since the Academy, she'd been happier than ever. The thrill of teaching and learning kept her busy. But tomorrow-or the day after-she would be riding on the trader's wagons down into the lowlands. Her friend Britta, the princess of Danland, had asked her to come to the capital for a historical event. The letter hadn't revealed much, but Miri knew she would soon see the ocean for the first time in her fourteen years.

Miri nervously fingered the Linder hawk in her pocket that her friend Peder had carved for her. All her life, she'd been on Mount Eskel, and now would be going to the lowlands...

Pa and Marda couldn't come: both were needed in the quarry, and in any case, had never wanted to see the lowlands. Miri lead the goats up to one of the streams and plucked up her namesake flower. The tiny Miri petals fluttered as she spun the delicate flower between her fingers.

She wished for too many things for one flower. She wanted a safe journey, but didn't want to leave. She wanted her and Peder to become even better friends. She wanted to be needed enough so she couldn't go. She wanted to keep in contact with the village through quarry-speech, even after they left the mountain...

The goats began to bleat as Miri took up the leads and led them back down the hill to do the milking. From the front of her house, she could see Peder and his sister Esa standing in front of a Linder block. She heard them discussing what patters would look best, and had to smile. Peder had always wanted to carve Linder blocks, and it looked like his chance had come. If the traders liked the design and paid more for it, he could keep carving. If not...then it was back to life as usual.

When it was time for lunch, Pa and Marda came to eat, both covered in white dust. Miri gave each of them their food, trying not to get it covered in Linder dust.

"Thank you, my flower," Pa said, kissing her hair in thanks.

Miri beamed. She was his flower.

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**I was a bit indecisive with this chapter. But anyway, hope you enjoyed and please review.**


	3. Travels

_**Ani**_

Ani stood by the prow of the ship, letting the wind and sea breeze cool her face. After four days of being at sea, she was finally becoming comfortable bobbing up and down on the water, giving her more time to think of what she would do once arriving in Danland.

Both Rin and Razo were used to living in the shelter of the trees, and were not feeling as good about being on turbulent water. Dashta was unfazed, and Ani suspected that the water was whispering many grand tales to her. Enna waited below deck for the water to calm some. The wind was never silent.

_Wood touches water. Fish leap. Sails rise. White foam..._

And so on. Below deck, down in the cabins was the only place she could escape it.

Ani looked back to the east, back to Bayern. Her home. Too often she wished that Gedric were here. She felt just as awkward and frightened as she had when leaving Kildenree. But she was a Queen now. She had the wind, the birds, and fire on her side and in her power. And friends.

_**Miri**_

As the carts rumbled on down the mountain path, Miri wondered if she could leap inside for a quick rest. Her feet were aching from the walking.

Two days down the mountain left Miri with little knowledge of the terrain. She had been unable to reach anyone through quarry-speech, and assumed that they had long since left the Linder beds behind. Occasionally, she could feel the echos of the quarry-speech through her hawk, but they were becoming fewer the farther they traveled.

Miri felt alone and frightened being away from Pa, and Marda, and Peder. She missed the Princess Academy girls: Esa, Frid, Gerti, Helta, Liana and the rest. She missed teaching at the village academy, too. And Doter, and the quarry...

But she would be seeing Britta again. And Stefan, Olana, and-Miri wasn't entirely sure how she felt about this-Katar. She would get to see gardens, the palace, and-as Britta had promised-the seashore. And no matter where she was in the lowlands, she and her friends had promised to look at the moon and sun whenever they rose, so that they would always know that it was the same land they were in, the same moon, the same sun.\

Miri spotted something shiny. Stooping, she saw a tiny rock, but from the inside, there was a glint of jewels. It was a geode.

Miri bent to pick it up, but the moment her fingers touched it, she suddenly had a vision of a man with only one eye tripping on the stone as he fled from what seemed to be the mountain itself.

And then it was gone. Miri lifted the geode, but saw nothing unusual about it.

The wagons began to rumble farther away, and she had to run to catch up.

What had just happened? Miri turned it over in her mind. It had felt like Quarry-Speech, but it had a different sense to it. Not like a person was triggering a memory, but like some_thing_ was showing her its memory.

Miri started to sing to help relieve the knot of fear in her belly.

_Tomorrow's a red flush in the western sky_

_Tomorrow's a black hush in the middle night_

_Tomorrow swears the truth of now, now, and now_

_In the trembling blue gasp of the morning light_

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**The song about tomorrows is from chapter 3 of the _Princess Academy_ book. Just so you know that I didn't make it up. I can't claim to be that clever. All credit goes to Shannon Hale.**


	4. Approaching Arrival

_**Miri**_

"Miri! It is so good to see you!" Britta cried, embracing her.

"It's good to see you too, Britta," Miri answered. Britta released her, and held her at arm's length.

"You've grown!"

Miri laughed. She was still one of the smallest people in the mountain village, but she had noticed that her shirt and leggings were getting tight and short. It was still an improvement over her old height, but not much; maybe an inch and a half.

"Why don't you release Miri so that she doesn't become strangled?" said a voice from behind Britta; Miri stood on tiptoe to see Prince Stefan coming out of the Castle gate, smiling broadly.

"It is good to see you," Stefan said, taking Miri's hand in his own and holding it there. "I have missed you. And your eagerness to learn."

Miri laughed, then saw a castle servant stop and turn to stare at her. Miri blushed. Obviously, it wasn't normal to speak with the Prince and Princess in such a manner.

"Oh, I wish I could show you the Palace," Britta said. "But today is the day that the Bayern Royalty are coming into the port on the seaside. It will have to wait, but I wanted to ask you, Miri, do you want to come with us to the seaside? We have some political business there, but you could also explore while we settle it."

Miri thought about it. It was a sudden and surprising, but oh! Miri had always wanted to see the ocean. She nodded.

Britta nodded back, and then turned to a gate guard and asked for the carriage to be fetched. Soon, Miri, Stefan, and Britta were riding among the Capital's streets, Britta giving an almost nonstop narration. Once outside the city gates, the conversation became more relaxed. Miri learned of the contact with the People of Bayern, and how they were sending a delegation to come over to Danland. She was fascinated with every word of it. And she, of all people, was going to the seaside where the Bayern ship would dock.

Miri looked out of the window and watched the scenery. She, of all of the Danlanders! And she was just a mountain girl. Others would laugh at the very idea. But it was the truth.

Like a Miri flower conquering the rock.

_**Ani**_

Ani tried to ignore the wind bringing her images of the nearing shoreline. She wanted to see Danland for herself, and not with the wind's eyes.

Enna, on the other hand, was listening to the wind eagerly. Her face shone with the joy of new discovery.

Ani looked back to the new land that she was about to discover.

The new _world_ she was about to discover.


	5. The First Glimpse

_Ani_

Ani stood at the prow of the ship and watched the welcome being prepared on the dock. A carriage was pulling up, the wind whispered that there were three people inside, two wearing crowns.

"Isi!" she heard Enna call. "I think it's time you get ready!"

Ani went below deck to prepare herself to look the part of a queen. She bathed and brushed her yellow hair smooth and shining. She selected a dress that was deep forest green, a color that calmed Ani and reminded her of the forests of Bayern.

Enna walked through the door, a box in her arms, which she set on the tiny vanity. Ani lifted the lid and pulled a golden crown from the velvet lining where it had rested. The chilled gold gave her goosebumps as she placed the crown on her brow. Ani looked in the mirror and saw the Queen of Bayern staring back, regal as her mother had been.

"I am not my mother," Ani whispered, and she felt better saying it out loud. It was time to face the new nation. Danland.

_Miri_

Britta was anxiously waiting on the dock. Miri was certain that she could feel the stress coming off her friend in waves. Stefan reached out and held her hand, effectively calming her. Miri remembered when she and Peder had last held hands.

There was a flurry of activity at the edge of the dock, and Miri had the Bayern ship hidden from view. When she was able to see again, a slim girl with hair the color of rust had stepped off the boat, and was helping another girl, this one with windblown black hair.

Neither of them wore crowns, though their apparel was very fine. Miri assumed they were Bayern nobles who had come along with the Queen. A short boy was helping another girl out of the boat. A soldier and a commoner. Maybe brother and sister.

Miri felt her heart pulsing as the Bayerns who came off the boat stood in an honor guard. She nervously brushed her hair, which was only teased by the wind again.

The woman who left the boat next was obviously the Queen of Bayern: a golden crown rested on her head, nearly invisible in her waist-length yellow hair. She had a kind face, smiling openly. If Miri had thought that the queen would be pompous and rude, all those expectations left her now.

Britta and Stefan welcomed the Queen and her escort. Miri wasn't paying much attention to the formalities. Instead she fiddled with the Geode in her pocket. Another image flashed into being and she saw a trader cart's wheel roll over the mountain path. Then it was gone.

Miri felt a gentle hand on her arm, and looked to see Britta smiling at her.

"Come, Miri. The Coach is waiting."


	6. Curious

_Ani_

Ani watched the small girl who was with the Princess. The wind saw her differently than anyone she had ever met. It was almost as if the wind...didn't like her.

The girl did not appear to be noble: she looked like a Bayern forest-born girl. She was daintily made, but her hands were rough and her clothes were worn and filthy from work.

"Well, at least this wasn't an ambush," Enna whispered. Rin nodded nervously in agreement. Ani tried to ignore them and appear queen-like. She hoped the Danlanders weren't too surprised to see her with such a large escort.

The princess was nice enough, but she seemed flustered and more than a little inexperienced; the prince was much more composed.

Ani had no idea who the girl was. She could have been anyone. Except for the wind's reminders.

_Miri_

She knew the Bayern Queen was watching her. She could feel those eyes. Miri wished she could turn into a hawk and fly away, away from the Queen's questioning eyes.

Britta-thankfully-recaptured the Queen's attention on the coach ride to the palace. They traded stories about their kingdoms the whole way there, while Miri stared at the passing scenery.

The instant her feet touched the palace floors, Miri felt the Linder inside the castle singing. It was like a good friend was welcoming her home. A sudden draft whisked up the corridor. Miri froze: it wasn't windy today.

Then, the stone under her feet shivered, and Miri suddenly had a vision behind her eyes. The Bayern Queen was suddenly surrounded with gusts of wind. The black-haired girl by her side was veiled in fire, the red-haired girl blanketed in a bubble of water, and the brown-haired girl shone with white light, leaves tangled in her hair.

Then it was gone, as soon as it had appeared.

Miri gasped a little, suddenly aware that she had been holding her breath.

_What was that?_

The stone quivered under her feet again.


	7. Wondering

_Ani_

Ani had felt the stone's response to the girl-Miri. It was strange. The wind had registered the change when her feet had come in contact with the stone. It had responded to Miri and her alone.

Enna had felt it too. So had Rin. They were all in agreement that Miri had some gift. It didn't seem to be one of language, because Miri had not even called out to the stone; the wind would've heard it, and through it, Ani.

"I'm going to explore," Razo said. "I'll try and find out more about your 'friend' Miri."

"Bye," Enna said, bored. Razo left, and Ani began to pace.

This country felt so _wrong_. The wind could sense it: something was different here. There was something other than the wind, water, fire, and trees that spoke here. But it wasn't speaking. Not exactly. Communicated, certainly. But it was not speaking of any kind that Ani had ever heard or felt.

The ground had _moved_. And it had happened when Miri had touched it.

"Razo?" Ani called. The young guard looked at her expectantly. "Have a message sent to this Miri girl. I would ever so much like to meet her."

Enna glanced up from her cushion, a meaningful look in her eyes.

_Miri_

The linder replayed the feelings of the people around her. That was what Miri was used to. But the stone showing memories of the people who had come and gone from the linder chambers? It had never happened before, yet now it did.

She felt the guard coming before she heard or saw him.

"I have two messages for you, miss," he addressed her. He offered two scrolls of parchment, which Miri took gently. "One is from Princess Britta, the other from Queen Anidori Kiladra Talianna-Isilee."

The guard clicked his heels and strode away. Miri opened the letter from Britta first. Just a simple invitation to dine with her, Stefan, the King, Queen, and Katar. Miri hadn't seen Katar for a long while, and wondered how she was doing. Then she unrolled the second scroll. The one from the Bayern Queen.

The note was not long:

_I wish for you to come and visit with me at one hour past noon tomorrow. It would do me a great pleasure if you would oblige. Yours sincerely, Queen Anidori._

Miri was not sure how to respond. A queen-a foreign one at that-had summoned her. To talk. She wondered if the queen had felt the tremors in the linder too.

Maybe now, she could ask about the vision the stone had given her.


End file.
